System of control



KARL A. SERMON, GE EDGEVVGQID PARK,

HOUSE ELECTRIC 5; MANUFACTURING OOEIPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VANIA.

M llhdtld PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO VVESTING- SYSTEM 01" CONTROL.

Application filed April 5, 1917.

To all whom it may concerns Be it known thatl, KARL A. SIMMON, citizen of the United States, and a resident of Edgewood Park, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Systems or Control, or which the following specification.

My invention relates to systems of control and especially to regenerative braking systems for electric railway motors and the like.

The object or my invention is to provide a plurality of air-brakes or other mechanical braking systems that are located on different vehicles of a train and relay means, operative only under predetermined regenerative conditions, for effecting the operation of certain of the mechanical braking systems.

More specifically stated, it is the object of my invention to provide a regenerative braking system in connection with a locomotive and the train hauled thereby, or in connection with one or more motor-cars and the trailing vehicles drawn thereby, and a relay system, embodying a polarized relay, that is operative only under predetermined overload conditions during regeneration for automatically efiecting the operation of the mechanical braking system on the train or the trailing vehicles only.

My invention may best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein the single figure is a diagrammatic view of a system or" control embodying my present invention.

Referring to the drawing, the system shown comprises supply-circuit conductors, Trolley and Ground; a main dynamo-electric machine having an armature A and a field winding F of the series type; a maincircuit variable resistor R; an auxiliary motor-generator set 1, or the like, that is driven from the supply circuit and is connected to excite the main field winding F regenerative period; an overload relay 2; a polarized relay 3 and a plurality of mechanical braking systems l and 5 of any suitable type that are respectively mounted upon the locomotive or motor-cars and upon the train proper or trailing vehicles.

The motor-generator set 1 is shown as comprising a driving or auxiliary motor armature 10 that is mechanically connected to an exciting or generator armature 11 by during the Serial No. 160,058.

means 01": a shalt 12 or otherwise; a seriesrelated field winding 13 for the auxiliary motor armature 10 and a shunt-excited field winding 14C for the auxiliary generator armature 11. v

The high-current or overload relay 2 comprises a movable core or plunger 15 that is surrounded by an actuating coil 16 and is provided with a movable bridging contact member 17 that partially closes an auxiliary circuit (to be described) when the relay device occupies its upper position, which occurs, for example, when the regenerated current reaches a 50% overload value, the relay remaining in such upper position until the current has decreased to 25% overload current, for instance, or any other selected value.

The polarized relay 3 comprises a plurality of spaced core members 18 and 19 that are respectively provided with actuating coils 20 and 21 which, in this case, are energized in accordance with the regenerated current and from a substantially constant and uni-directional source, such as the auxiliary generator armature 11. It will be understood that the particular type of polarized relay employed is immaterial to my present invention and, if desired, a permanent magnet may be substituted for the actuating coil 21, in accordance with a familiar practice. A bridging contact member 22, that is actuated by the cores l8 and 19, is connected in series relation with the contact member 17 of the overload relay 2 for a purpose to be described.

The polarization of the relay 3is such that the flow of regenerative current through the actuating coil 20 supplements the polarized efi ect produced by the actuating coil 21 and the relay lifts, for example, at 10% of the average regenerated current. Under accelerating conditions, however, the difierential action of the reversed flow of current in the actuating coil 20 prevents the lifting of the polarized relay, which is thus operative only under predetermined regenerative conditions.

The mechanical braking system 5, which is associated with the train or trailing vehicles, comprises a normally closed valve 26 having a governing coil 27 for efi'ecting the admission of fluid pressure from any suitable source (not shown) through a pipe or 30 is associated, in the usual manner, with a pneumatic braking apparatus 32, the particular construction of which is immaterial to my present invention and, consequently, the apparatus is conventionally illustrated.

, The; mechanical braking s stem 4 on the locomotive'or: motor car comprises a valve 35and a. governing. coil 36 similar to the valve 261and the coil27; a cylinder 37 communicating With the normally closed valve 35 and having a traveling" piston 38;, the stem or' rod 39 of which is adapted to operate aavalve l0 through the agency of suitable lost-motion connection ll. The brake-valve 40 normally occupies the illustrated open position, whereby fiuid pressure may be admitted via the customary oral-ring pipes and iengineers valve, When desired, to a pipe or passage42 and thence to the pneumatic braking apparatus l3 upon the locomotive or; motor car.

When the governing coil 27 of the mechair cal braking systemfi is energized, fluid pressure-1's admitted'through the valve 26 to'the piston-valve 29', whereby the brake-pipe 30 is ventedto the atmospherethrough the outlet pipe 31, thuscausing-the application oi the mechanical brakes upon the train, in accordance with 'itamiliar' principles which need: not be tturther discussed in the present application. However, it Will be understood that, if desired, the energization of the governing coil 27 may be utilized to eilect a direct' application of 'iiuid pressure to the mechanical brakes,

On the other hand,ju )on the energization of the governingcoit flfor the mechanical braking system 4, fluid pressure is admitted through the-valve 85 the cylinderBZ, and the'ensuing. movement of the piston 38 causes the rotation of the valve lO'toits closed position, whereby-the mechanical brakes upon the locomotive or inotor car are temporarily prevented from being operated; As is Well understood, the use of 'airbralres or other mechanical braking systems upon a locomotive or motor-car duringregenerative braking operation thereof tends to cause a slipping of the vehicle Wheels and thus reduces the total eii'ective b'raking effort of the locomotiveor motor-car. I

Assuming that "regenerative operation of the nain machine has been begun in any suitable manner, Which is immaterial to my present invention, the main circuit is com pleted fromthe trolley through conductor 50, junction-point 51, main armature A, conductor 52, actuatingcoil 16 or the overload relay 2, conductor 53, actuating coil 20 of the polarized relay 3, conductor 54, junctionpoint 55, variable resistor R, which may be suitably manipulated as the vehicle speed gradually decreases to compensate for such decrease and thereby maintain a substantially constant regenerated current, and thence, through conductors 56, 57' and 58, to the negative supply-circuit conductor Ground.

The main-field-Winding circuit is established citing or auxiliary armature 11, tl'irough conductors 6U 56, inain circuit resistor R, junction-point 55",;main field Winding i and conduc ors G1 and 62 to the negative,

terminal oi the exciting armature:

The ainiilia y motor circuit-1sestablish-ed from thepos ively-energmed conductor'50 from the positive terminal 01 the ex through series-related field-Winding '13 and tne armature 10 of the auxiliary motor and thence, through conductor 58, to'ground;

The regenerative circuit connections just described form no part or my present invention except in so 'ar as they perform a cer tain necessary lunction in co-operation therewith and are merely shown as representative-oi a regenerative braking system. The arrangement of circuits in questlonis fully set forth claimed "in a era-pending Serial No:

tioned, permanent magnet may be utilized in lieu" of the actuating coil and its ore.

Assuming that regeneratedcur out for any reason rises to substantially 50% above the normal or average current or any other overload conditions corresponding to the setting of the relay Q'occur, the-core 15 and the co-operating contact member 17 thereo l willbe actuated to their upper positions, whereby a circuit is established from one terminal er a battery 'or any other'suitable source of energy-through conductor 70', bridging icontact niember l? of the overloadrelay, conductor- 71, bridging contact member 9,2ioif second actuating coil 21 for the polarized the polarizedrelay Which,'- as previously stated, lifts at 10% or normalregenerative current, conductor 72'," governing coil. 36for the mechanicalv braking system l, conductor 73, governing coil 27 for the mechanical braking system 5 and conductor '74" to the other batteryterminal.

- Uponthe energization of the governing coils '27 and 36 in the manner just set forth,

nee les the mechanical brakes 32 on the train proper or on the trailing vehicles are automatically applied, Whereas the mechanical brakes .23

the locomotive or motor cars are prevented from being operated, by

desire, therefore that only such ations shall be imposed as are indicated are appended claims.

cl 1 i a my invention:

we combination 'th. a plurality of llcfll braking ems ocated on dil' vehicles oi a tin i, 15 a dynamo-electric machine locate on one of said vehicles and adapted tli'or both accelerating and reg oper ion, and relay means operae only under predetermined regenerative conditions for effecting the operation of cer- "11 of said nechanical braking systems.

2. The combination with a pluralit of "lfiCllHDlCll braking systems located on ditvehicles of a train, of a dynamo-electric machine located on one oii said vehicles and adapted for both accelerating and ren ating operation, d a relay system em- J k polarized .lay operative only under predetermined r nerative conditions for effecting the op 11 oi certain of said mechanical oralrn: s L c .J. i ,1 The con cm on with a phnalit ol anical braking systems i lacsr vehic e and a trailino' vehicle, respeclively, of HillllO-QlQCJTlC machine locater on said in 1 vehicle and adapted for both. accelerating and -egenerating operation, and relay mea t-ative only under predeter- 9 ye for erlecting mined concnions the oper tion 0- ie inec ianical braking syssia-zn on said trailing vehicle only.

l. The combination with a plurality oi? mcc anical braking systems located on a mo or vehicle and a trailing vehicle, respecof a dynamoelectric machine located on said motor vehicle and adapted for both accelerating and regenerating operation, and. re ay system embodying a polarized relay operative only under predetermined regencr l ivc conditions For ellecting the operation iical lnalring system on said g vehicle only.

.l, 1 he combination with a plurality of 1,110 met.

l braking syste -ns located on diltcren vehicles or t ain, of a main dynamomachine located on one of said veic, and adapted for both accelerating and regenerating operation, a relay device havmg an actuating coil energized in accordance erated current, and a pola e Irvi g actuating col similarly zed to supplement the polarcllect under regenerative conditions, the concurrent occupation oi certain positions by said relay devices effecting are determined dissimilar operation of said mechanical braking systems.

6. The combination with a plurality of mechanical braking systems located on difrent vehicles of a train, of a dynarnc-elec trio machine located on one of said vehicles and adapted for both accelerating and regenerating operation, a relay device having a actuating coil energized in accordance h the regenerated current to lift under relative heavy-cnrrent conditions, and a polarized relay device having an actuating coil similarly energized to supplement the polarizing effect under regenerative conditions and adapted to lift under normal current values, the concurrentoccupation of 'tted pos'tions by said relay devices effectthe ope ion of certain of said mechanical lllllill'lg systems.

7. The combination with plurality of mechanical braking systems located on dil lerent vehicles or a train and each having governing coil, of a dynamoelectric machine located on one of said vehicles and adapted for both accelerating and regenerating operation, a relay device having an actuating coil ene c'ized in accordance with the regenerated current, and a polarized relay de- JlCE having an actuating coil similarly energis d to supplement the polarizing effect der regenerative conditions, the concurrent occupation of certain positions by said re ay devices effecting an energization of said governing coils to operate only one ot the mechanical braking systems.

8. The combination with a plurality of mechanical braking systems located on a motor vehicle and a trailing vehicle, respectively, and each provided with a governino' coil, oi. a dynamo-electric machine located on salt. motor vehicle and adapted for looth accelerating and regenerating operation, a relay device having an actuating coil energized in accordance with the regenerated current to lift under relative heavy-current conditions, and a polarized relay device having an actuat' coil similarly energized to sup plcment the polarizing effect Under regenerative conditions and adapted to lift under normal current values, the concurrent occupation of li'lted positions by said relay devices effecting the energization of said governing coils to operate only the mechanical braking system on the trailing vehicle.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 29th day of March,

KARL A. SlMMON. 

